European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has expressed confidence that all necessary steps have been taken to allow the opening of all negotiating clusters for Ukraine's accession to the European Union, noting that technical preparations are moving forward regardless of the official launch dates.
Speaking in Brussels ahead of the Ireland-chaired Intergovernmental Conference, Kos noted that the opening of the sixth cluster addresses external relations for both Ukraine and Moldova, while also encompassing defense cooperation and efforts to counter hybrid threats. She emphasized that both nations are actively contributing to European security.
The European Commission maintains that Ukraine is fully prepared for all remaining clusters to be opened without delay. According to Kos, this readiness is the result of a front-loading process completed last year. While the timing for opening the final four clusters rests with the EU council presidency and individual member states, she reiterated that technical assessments remain ongoing in the interim.
Kos noted that Ukraine has a clear understanding of its requirements, particularly concerning the first and sixth clusters. She added that a structured timeline is in place for this year and beyond, with close monitoring of foundational principles. Furthermore, she expressed hope that the incoming Ukrainian government would provide fresh momentum to accelerate implementation efforts in Kyiv.
The European Commissioner also referred to the day as Super Tuesday, as Intergovernmental Conferences are concurrently taking place with Moldova, Albania, and Montenegro.
